Coach of South Africa Senior Male National Team, Ephraim 'Shakes' Mashaba has backed the Black Stars to go for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

Ghana have not won the continental showpiece since 1982 in Libya, despite playing in three different finals-1992, 2010 and 2015.

However, Mashaba thinks Ghana can end their 34 years of trophy drought in 2017.

Mashaba said: “The Black Stars can pull a surprise to win the 2017 AFCON but they need to work hard,” he told Starr FM.

“It is going to be a difficult tournament because there are good team making it as well but looking at the pedigree of the Black Stars and how they performed in the last tournament I think they can win."